Tags

, , , , , , ,

Well, we’ve made it through another Lent. Are you prepared? Are you thrilled and excited? Are you stoked for Easter? You should be. I know that Good Friday isn’t the happiest of Holy Days, but it is an important one. If you’re at a loss about how to commemorate Good Friday, I have 5 (relatively) easy suggestions:

  • Fast and Abstain.

If you’re Catholic and over the age of 14, you should be doing this anyway. But if you aren’t or haven’t, why not start today? You don’t even have to go full-on fish fast if you don’t want to. Give up your afternoon snack or eat leftovers for lunch instead of going out. Even small sacrifices can change your perspective on Good Friday.

  • Attend the Passion.

According to ancient tradition, Mass is not celebrated on Good Friday. Instead, churches around the world will commemorate the Passion of Jesus Christ. Most will have a lunch hour or evening Passion. Find one near you here.

  • Read the Passion.

If you’d rather skip the crowds, you can also read the Passion story. Notice that I didn’t say “watch Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ,” but if watching a movie helps you reflect on Christ’s sacrifice for us then, by all means, go for it.

  • Reflect on Christ’s Sacrifice.

Some people spend the hours between noon and three in quiet contemplation. If three hours seems a little daunting for your first go at Good Friday, that’s totally okay. Commit yourself to finding a ten minute window to sit somewhere quietly and reflect on Christ’s love.

  • Call Your Grandmother.

This has nothing to do with Good Friday, but I bet she would appreciate it.

Depending on what your work situation/schedule is, it can be hard to find time in your day to commemorate Good Friday. I know that I have just as much work to do as I always do. At the same time, I don’t want to treat Good Friday like “any other day” because it’s not a normal, regular day. In my mind, to fully understand the joy of Easter, you must pause to reflect on the sorrow of Good Friday.

Have a peaceful day.